1. Long Distance Alignments in Southern Britain:
Long distance alignments in southern Britain: strategic planning or boundaries?
Strategic Planning or Boundaries?

2. Long distance alignments: Identifying features
Branches or turns typically at one of 4 Pythagorean angles
36.87˚
28.07˚
Surveying base
(usually fort or
settlement)
Section preserved when a Roman road is later run along part of the alignment
Pythagorean triangles (sides measured in whole numbers):
the 3:4:5 and
the 8:15:17
Copyright R Entwistle

3. The Wealden Roads
Margary roads 150 and 14, from London through Hassocks, and from London to Lewes, crossing the Weald in parallel.
North Downs escarpment
Edenbridge
High point for western
road crossing the Weald .
Camp Hill
Hassocks
Copyright Ordnance Survey

4. The Wealden Alignment Copyright R Entwistle
Margary roads 150 and 14, from London through Hassocks, and from London to Lewes, crossing the Weald in parallel.
North Downs escarpment: views open up to the south
Long section running almost parallel to initial line after sloping transversely down the escarpment
Edenbridge
Road at Weald summit, visible from N Downs escarpment, exactly on line
Road comes round the back of Black Hill to reach the initial line
Road wanders a little off line descending the Weald
Camp Hill: views open up to the south
The two roads cross the Weald by a single branched alignment that reaches from Watling Street, across the North Downs, to the South Downs.
Hassocks
The turns at N Downs escarpment and Camp Hill: both c ̊
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5. The Silbury Hill alignment towards Bath
(minimum 29 km long)
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6. Copyright R Entwistle River Kennet Silbury Hill River Thames London
Silchester
Bath
Winchester
Exeter
Chichester
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7. River Kennet Weald Alignment Silbury Hill River Thames London
Silchester
Bath
Winchester
Exeter
Chichester

8. Copyright R Entwistle River Kennet Weald Alignment Honiton Alignment
Silbury Hill
River Thames
London
Silchester
Bath
Winchester
Exeter
Chichester
St Loyes
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9. Cannard's grave alignment, linking Honiton LDA to Silbury Hill LDA
Bath
Fosse Way out of Bath
Roman road comes on to Cannard's Grave alignment
Cannard's Grave
Pye Hill, visible from Yeovil ridge
Fosse Way into Ilchester
Honiton alignment
Yeovil
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10. Copyright R Entwistle X X Cannards Grave Alignment River Kennet
Weald Alignment
Honiton Alignment
Silbury Hill
River Thames
London
Charterhouse military lead/silver mines
Silchester
Bath X
Winchester X
Bardown naval iron works
Exeter
Chichester
St Loyes
Copyright R Entwistle

11. Implications LDAs: a new source of evidence for Roman Britain?
Should we look for borders in other client kingdoms?
What was the role of client kings in governing a new province?
What are the implications of seeing the Durotriges under the rule of Cogidubnus /Togidubnus?
Were the St Loyes site, and the Exeter fort, under different jurisdictions?
Where does it leave us on the debate about Togidubnus and Togodumnus?
Copyright R Entwistle